Band 6 Bank Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

We have an opportunity for a Bank Band 6 SLT to join the Trust Wide SLT adult inpatient mental health service on a Bank basis. Most clinical work will be based at Fountain Way Hospital in Salisbury.

You will work with a high degree of autonomy, providing specialist dysphagia and communication assessment and intervention on working age and older adult mental health wards, and training staff in screening and managing patients’ swallowing and communication needs.

Experience in mental health or dementia is desirable. However, if you have a background in learning disability, autism, acquired/progressive neurological conditions and developmental SLCN, you will have highly relevant, transferable skills and will be considered if you demonstrate a passion or curiosity for further development in mental health. You will be involved in the supervision and training of newly appointed B4 SLT assistant practitioners and experience of supervision and support of junior staff would be important for potential candidates to demonstrate.

You will be part of the trust-wide SLT network, which organises regular CPD and professional support sessions.

To provide a specialist speech and language therapy (SLT) service to adult inpatients with disorders of communication and/or swallowing in Salisbury

Highly skilled assessment and treatment of communication difficulties and eating and drinking difficulties within a caseload of people with complex and enduring mental health disorders.

Providing written information regarding patients’ communication and dysphagia needs in the form of reports, care plans and easy read information.

Providing ongoing education to ward and catering staff in the recognition and management of dysphagia.

Providing ongoing education to ward staff in understanding communication difficulties and developing skills in how best to support people with communication needs.

Engaging in joint goal setting with the patient, family and wider MDT.

Advocating for the value of Speech & Language Therapy to the MDT in the diagnosis and management of complex communication and swallowing disorders in the inpatient mental health population.